Local History Talks 

I am available to talk to all kinds of groups and societies throughout the year, daytime or evening. All my talks are illustrated with overhead transparencies. I am happy to come at short notice, should you have a speaker call off. I will travel to all parts of East Anglia. Talks can last any time you wish, from 45 minutes to 1½ hours. From 2011, my fee will be £40, with a small charge for travel if I have to go more than six miles. This is in the region £5 - £10.

Talks well tried and well received

Lucky is the Name: The life of a Suffolk farming family as told by Alf Burrows (1904 - 1969). This is a tale of triumph over adversity with wonderful comic moments - for more detail, see the description of the book of the same name.

Exploring Suffolk by Bus-Pass - There are few corners of Suffolk (and neighbouring counties) that can't be reached by bus. Those of us fortunate enough to have our bus-pass can use it to plan expeditions and days out. This talk, liberally illustrated with Suffolk views, shows how you can do it.

It happened here in Suffolk - deals with a number of strange and wonderful bites of history that have remained hidden for centuries. Accompanied by many colourful pictures, this will soon become a new book.

Frolic, Fervour and Fornication - The registers and papers that once lay in the parish chests of Suffolk villages contain all kinds of items that could so easily have been thrown away or never written at all. The surprises they reveal about the people of Suffolk in past centuries is remarkable. This talk is all about the things you never expected to find written in the parish records of Suffolk.

Finding out about History, using Old Local Newspapers will surprise and amuse you, as you are taken on a journey of nearly 300 years. Crime and punishment feature large in this talk, which focuses on the humorous side of life seen through the eyes of the reporters of their day.

The Amazing Story of Rev. John Heigham Steggall, the Suffolk Gipsy - Around 1800, son of a parson, he ran away and lived with the gipsies. In his remarkable life, he was a surgeon, sailor, soldier and parish priest at Great Ashfield. An amazing story spanning 90 years.

Suffolk Witches - from medieval days through to Victorian times, this talk looks at how superstition has haunted Suffolk and surrounding counties, and the persecution it led to.

The Journal of a Poor Suffolk Woodman is a unique opportunity to enter the world of a poor man. In 1827, the Rector of Thorpe Morieux, near Lavenham in Suffolk gave one of his parishioners a prayer book, where he wrote a diary, in dialect, in the margins, covering the next 15 years.

For the Rest of your Natural Life tells stories of Suffolk convicts, sentenced to transportation to Australia during the period 1787 – 1867. Find out not only what happened to them, but also to the families they left behind.

What was it like to live in Suffolk at the time of the Plague? In this talk, I take you through the various visitations of the bubonic plague in this county, with special reference to Ipswich in 1665.

The Dissolution of the Monasteries, is a talk, liberally illustrated with colour pictures of Suffolk’s monastic heritage, that enables you enjoy the economic jiggery-pokery of sixteenth century life and hear how Suffolk’s up and coming young men made their fortunes.

I read it in the Local Rag - a fresh look at amusing stories found in old local newspapers. Especially recommended for those groups who have heard and enjoyed my ‘History through old local Newspapers’ talk and want more. All fresh 200 year-old material.

Death Recorded looks at capital punishment in Suffolk over the period 1732-1900. About a thousand received death sentences in that time, but what actually happened to them?

A Picture history of Margaret Catchpole tells the tale of this famous Suffolk heroine through the pictures that the Rev. Richard Cobbold originally painted for his book.   These were never used, but are rather charming and have only recently come to light.

Local interest books, written to accompany some of my talks will be for sale, priced from £3.